Tension & Compression

What are Forces…

Forces are present in all interactions that occur between to objects. They are acting on you right now. A force could be happening between the soles of your feet and the ground, between you and the chair you are sitting in, or when you open and close a door. Forces are the push or pull action between two objects. There are different kinds of forces such as contact forces (friction, tension, compression, normal, applied, air resistance, spring, etc.) as well as action-at-a-distance forces (electrical, magnetic, gravitation).

In looking at bridges, physics and forces are essential for designing structurally sound passage for whatever usage may be necessary. While many facets of forces must be analyzed in constructing bridges, the two most important ones that are looked at are tension and compression for designing; however, applied forces, wind and natural distributed forces, and other forces must be accounted for to have a more wholistic design.

Tension vs Compression

Tension is a force that stretches.

Compression is a force that squeezes.

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Extra Information

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